Tech firms could do more to help stop the jihadists
But legal restrictions must be proportionate and thought through

THREE jihadist attacks in Britain in as many months have led to a flood of suggestions about how to fight terrorism, from more police and harsher jail sentences to new legal powers. But one idea has gained momentum in both Europe and America—that internet firms are doing the jihadists’ work for them. Technology giants, such as Google and Facebook, are accused of turning a blind eye to violent online propaganda and other platforms of allowing terrorists to communicate with each other out of reach of the intelligence services.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Terror and the internet”
Leaders
June 10th 2017
From the June 10th 2017 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the edition
The plan to protect America by shooting down missiles mid-air
It’s not as outlandish as it sounds

The man with a plan for Vietnam
A Communist Party hard man has to rescue Asia’s great success story

MAGA’s assault on science is an act of grievous self-harm
America will pay the price most of all
How Poland can keep its place at the heart of Europe
If it turns inward, the country and continent will lose out
The best part of the UK-EU deal is a system for doing more deals
Sir Keir Starmer’s “reset” is still a hard Brexit. It will need softening
The Senate should vote down Donald Trump’s reckless tax cuts
If it does not, a collision with the bond markets awaits